CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2634, 15 September 1882, Page 4

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.

A special general meeting of the Chamber of Commerce was held at 8 p.m. yesterday, to consider the extension of the Middle Island trunk lino by cither of three routes mentioned bv the Government, Present— Messrs W. D. Mearea (president), B. D. Thomas, O. A. Pritchard, L. C, Williams, G. Booth, Cameron, J. Gould, A. Cuff, W. B. Mitchell, W, Browne, Aitken, J. Anderson, jun,, W. Ohry.itall, F. Jenkins, W. Wood, A. C. Wilson, P. Cunningham, O. E, Blakiaton, T. Pavitt, Inglia, Struthers, J. H. Twentyman, F. K. Wright, J. D. Maopherson, Geo Hart, J. G bbs, Hons. J. T. Peacock and E. Eiohardson. The Secretory, Mr J. A. Bird, read tho advertisement convening the meeting. The President raid that at the annual meeting the proceedings were so protracted that they were uaable to carry out the sugfaction of their retiring President, that the lhambor should discuss tbo question of the extension of tho Middle Island trunk line. The committee had agreed with him that the members should bo called together, and tho large attendance that day proved the wisdom of that advioa. He felt sure the matter would be dispassionately considered by tho members, and the decision arrived at after considering the interests of the colony as a whole, as well as those of Canterbury in particular. Ho could not but express the opinion that the proposal of the Government to spend some two millions of money on a line like that spoken of by Mr Blair was unwise. That gentleman Lad said that the proposal to make the line across what was known as the East Ooast lino would not open up any country. He thought that the speediest and best route would be by steamer from Lyttelton. [Laughter.j Thera was one point whioh he desired to bring under the notice of the Chamber, which hod been given to him on very good authority, viz., that one half of the member# of tbo House were pledged to support the Bast Coast line. If this wore to, then he could only regret with the Chamber that snob a state of things should exist. The Government wore going to appoint a commission on tho matter, but he might say that their experienoo of commission# was not encouraging. Ho only hoped that tho Chamber would sgree with him that it was inexpedient for the Government to proceed with any of the three lines proposed. Tho Chamber, in considering this matter, would, he hoped, do so in a manner quite dispassionate, and altogether free from bis#. He would now leave tho matter in tho hands of the Chamber. Mr 3. V. Thomas asked tho President to be kind enough to explain the three line# proposed by the Government. The President gave, from, tho maps exhibited in the room, a description of the three routes proposed by the Government, Mr T. Pavitt said he was sorry that some other person had not risen to speak on this question, and also that they had not before them Mr Foy’s report. Thu latter document stated that the East Coast railway could never pay, and he felt also that the Canterbury people 1 had cause to feel aggrieved, because one of the Ministry, tho Hon. Mr Bolleston, bad some four years ago written a letter urging the completion of the West Coast railway, and also inciting the people to agitate until they got it, Mr Bolleston had gone over all the country, and knew that the proposed railway would pay handsomely. It was, therefore, to be expected that when he had an opportunity to push forward the project he would do bo. The connection of the West Ooast with Canterbury was a matter of the greatest importance, because it brought them into sommunioation with the minerals and timber of tho West Coast; it would enable them on this coast to supply the miners with the requisite machinery. The Canterbury district; they wonld remember, only received one-tenth of the four million loan, and out of this there was to be expended £189,000 on a railway to Blenheim, whioh passed several shipping ports, and also 'along whioh goods oonld not be carried at anything like the same figure that they could by sea. It the Government appointed a Boyal Commission on the subject, he trusted that some gentlemen in whom they could have confidence would be associated with them, and farther, though perhaps foreign to the subject, he thought the Chamber might express their views on the allocation of the loan. Mr J. D. Maopherson said that they had there to-day a member of the Upper '-»nse who could toll them what the Cover it

meant to do. He had been told by an honorable etfsaber of the Oonnoil that this *ras Mb a paper vote, and that they need not fear piny steps being taken in connection with this ' railway until next session. Hon. Mr Peacock said that the Government had promised that all new works should be subject to approval of Parliament next year. So far as this line was considered, he understood that it was to be carried to the Waiau, but no farther extension was, he believed, to be carried out till next session. So far as information was concerned he might tell them that they knew better than the members in Wellington what was done, because the raporta in the papers in Wellington were bo bad that it was unable to get any idea of what was done the preceding evening, whilst the Canterbury papers got such excellent reports, that they were abiolutely better informed than the people of Wellington. [Ohoera.j On many occasions he had obtained information from the Canterbury papers which ho oonld not get in Wellington. Ha might gay that there was an intention of a gentleman to publish a work, with maps showing the stations through which the proposed Hast Coast line passed, end all the distances from the ooast. He thought, therefor'-, that it wodld be well to wait until this was published, Hon. E. Bichardson said he felt sure, as us this work was published, it would at once appear that the proposal to make the East Ooast line was a mistake, [Hear.] He quite agreed with the chairman that the route by sea could compete with any railway made along this line, even with the steamers now on the line, let alone those which would be naed long before this line oonld be complete. He confessed that he could not quite understand the position from the reports, but this was not to be wondered at, because he bad told members since their return, of votes passed which had squandered money of which they had no knowledge. The Government proposed two rentes, costing each £1,200,000, and the West Coast line, which the people of Canterbury, Westland, and Kelson wished for, oonld begot for less money than would be expended on the line the people did not want. [Cheers.] If Christchurch was joined to Beefton and Picton by way of the Tophouse, the term trunk line would be perhaps misapplied. Ho might say, —however, that this was the route which Sir Julius Vogel intended in introducing his public works policy that it should take. For himself, he always held that the route spoken of as the West Ooast should follow the line he had indicated. He desired to call attention to this, that the Bast Coast lire was on the schedule of the Loan Bill £90,000 for extending the line from Blenheim southwards, and from Waipara northwards, £90,000. These were the lines the money was placed on the schedule for. The Government had pledged themselves to do nothing until next session, and to appoint a commission, and he thought no Government—though during the past few days the Government had acted most extraordinarily —would do suoh [a thing os this. Therefore he thought that, though half the Canterbury members were pledged to the East Coast line, that public opinion, aroused ss it was, they would not dare to take any steps to carry out the line to the Hast Coast. He was not prepared to move any resolution, but would support any resolution which might be moved in the direction that be hod indicated. Mr Pavitt, by permission of the chairman, read a letter from Hon. W, Eolleston to the editor of the " Star” ro West Coast railway, which was referred to at the late public meeting in Christchurch on the Bast and West Coast railway. The letter boro date July 20th, 1878. He had read it because it would show what a desp interest Mr Bfiloaton felt in the matter. [A. Voice— : ‘Ha was not then fa tho Government.”] Mr Inglis said that the real fact was that the Chamber knew very little about the matter, but if it was a national work then it ought to be carried out. He had enquired as to the quantity of land likely to be opened up by those proposed three routes, and the information he had received showed him that it would be unwise to pro- . coed with any of the lines. He had formed one of the committee which had explored the country at the request of the Chamber, and the information he hid gained had brought the conclusion forcibly home to him, that at present it was not desirable to pledge the public credit to make a line which would not I return more than working expenses. The

whole of the three route# then on the msp did not open up any country, and the West Cca'it line up to the dividing range was in the same position. Beyond thi», of course, there was the development of minerals, produce, &?. Thus he was ia favor of the proposal of the Hon. Mr Eiohordson, viz., to take that lice which would give them the greatest return. If tho Went Ooast line could only give a fairly moderate return by-and-bye, how could tho other proposed lines hope to pay. The West Coast railway, ho thought, hud been prejudiced by the advocacy of too sanguine people). He saw that at a public mooting recently it had been calculated that the consumption of coal in Canterbury alone amounted to 300,000 tons. This was absurd, as the total consumption of coal in Canterbury was only 56,000 tons. The same remark applied to limber. Ho was in favor of spending the public money, if they were going_ to do to, on a lino which would, alter a while, return them a fair amount, He was of opinion with Hon. Mr Peeoook, that they should defer the matter until the full information was before them, when they would be able to say with some reason what the opinion of the Chamber was. From his own researches and from information received by him, he had made up his mind on the question, but there were a number of gentlemen who knew very little about tho West Coast, Therefore, lie should be prepared to move or support a resolution for adjourning tho consideration of the matter for a month. If they were going to spend money, let them spend it on the West Coast, as it would bo the most payable one. Mr Cuff said that aa the money was put on tho estimates it would have to be spent in Canterbury, because if it were not so, then tho money would bo spent elsewhere ; were it not so then he should say that they ought to put their face against having any railway at all.

Mr Inglis said that by going into tho Inaugahua Valley they would strike the coal and goldfields together with timber, and he thought the Government should bo asked to consider whether money could be saved. Mr Cunningham said that he intended to move on adjournment for a month. He was of opinion that the lino to Blenheim was a luxury which could only be indulged in by a community of nine or ten millions. [Hear, hear.] They must remember that Mr 80l leston was only one of o Cabinet, and though he might be in favor of this line he could only have one voice. The steamers could compete with any line that could be made, and he felt sore that the West Coast line would not pay for years to come. He "bought that the best way to deal with the matter, if they oonld get the Government to take a common sense view of the subject, wonld be to pay over the share of the loan coming to Canterbury to the capital account of the railways now in work, thus reducing their railway rates of freight. It had been stated by the President that he had been informed as to half the Canterbury members being pledged to support what was known as Money Robinson’s line or the Cheviot line, but he (Mr Cunningham) thought that this meant only half of tho member# who had spoken Twelve had spoken, six on one side and six on the other. This he thought was the solution of tho matter. However, he felt that if the matter was put to the people they would vote for it.

Mr Pavitt strongly urged the carrying out of the West Coast lino. By so doing they would tap large ooal seams and large timber forests within 130 miles of Christchurch. Ho was afraid that all the enterpriao which had marked the district of Canterbury in the past had departed, and ha only hoped that this apathy would be shaken. The coal referred to could bo got at 3s per ton, and with IJd per ton haulage, it could bo put in here at less than £1 per ton. This would give a great incentive to their manufactories industries. The Invercargill people he would desire to point out were sending timber as far as Ashburton. He hoped to see the Chamber take soma steps is ths'matter. Mr Cunningham said that he desired to move that the matter be adjourned for a month. His opinion was that the West Coast railway would not pay for twenty years. It might carry the Christchurch trade, some 60,000 tons per annum, wbiob might be taken over by the railway in a fortnight. Westport would never allow Lyttelton to take their coal trade, and -they would find their West Coast railway idle half the the year. They had not been called together to discuss the West Coast railway, but to consider the three lines now before them. On this question he felt they were agreed, viz., that they would have none of them. He would move—“ That the discussion on this subject be adjourned for one month.” Mr Inglis said he seconded the motion, and he desired to point cut that he had not thrown odd water on the project, but he de sired to show that now they were brought face to face with the expenditure of money on one of these three lines it would be bob er to expend the money on the West Coast railway. Mr Thomas pointed out that the £IBO,OOO, if spent as proposed by the Government on one of these three lines, would go beyond the poiat of divergence to the West Coast. Mr Cunningham said that the Government bad stated that no steps would be taken until next session.

Mr Cameron suggested that a committee should be appointed to collect information on the subject. Mr Maopherson thought tho best way would be for tho meeting to adjourn, allowing tho chairman to call them together when the information was ready. The Chairman said he supposed that it would be understood that the adjourned meeting would be enabled to discuss the West Coast rail way'line os well as the. East Coast one.

The motion was then put and carried, and the meeting adjourned.